The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have a storied rivalry. But is there one player from the Yankees that stands out among others as the Red Sox’s enemy?
Enter: Alex Rodriguez.
Many Red Sox fans would agree the former third baseman is the mortal enemy of Boston — especially during the 2004 season. And MLB.com seems to agree, putting together a list of each team’s nemesis.
Here’s what they had to say about Rodriguez and the Red Sox:
Infamous for: Fighting Jason Varitek; slapping ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove
A-Rod was nearly traded to the Red Sox for Manny Ramirez in 2003, but the deal fell through at the 11th hour. Two months later, the Yankees acquired him instead, and Rodriguez emerged as persona non grata in Boston at a time the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry was at its peak. Rodriguez’s status as the ultimate villain was cemented forever on July 24, 2004, when Bronson Arroyo hit him on the shoulder with a breaking ball, leading to a memorable fight between Rodriguez and Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek. Three months later, in Game 6 of the 2004 AL Championship Series, Rodriguez hit a tapper down the first-base line. As Arroyo fielded the ball and tried to apply the tag, Rodriguez slapped the ball out of his glove. A-Rod was ultimately called out for his infraction, and the Red Sox won the game, the ALCS and the World Series. But Boston fans despised Rodriguez for the rest of his career.
Those two memories instantly come to mind, no doubt.
The Red Sox got the last laugh in 2004 after coming back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat New York and eventually win the World Series that year.
